The Netherlands has offered life benefits to Bosnians who settled in the country in the wake of the 1992-1995 war, if they decide to return home. The Dutch government would pay travelling expenses to returnees of up to 1,500 euros and life benefits to persons over 45 years of age. The monthly benefits for individuals would be 470 euros, or 670 euros per married couple, the ministry said.
It is estimated that some 30,000 Bosnians settled in the Netherlands after the war and some have failed to integrate into Dutch society. The Dutch government said it was a ‘quality solution for all foreigners who have failed to integrate into Dutch society’.
The participants in the repatriation program would be allowed a one year trial period, after which they would have the right to return to the Netherlands. After that period, they would have to renounce Dutch citizenship and lose residential rights, the government said.
In view of Bosnia’s crippled economy, huge unemployment and average monthly wage below 300 euros, it is generally expected that the repatriation program would yield good results.
A crew from the Scottish background reportage TV program Eòrpa travels to the Netherlands to talk to Bosnian refugees, a psychiatrist members of a Dutch Bosnian youth platform and an interview with a member of parliament form the Dutch social democrat party.
For this background reportage Featurez gave advice, did the research, set-up and planning of the filming, booked a rental van and did the driving, accompanied the filming, did the interviews and the translations of the interviews.